[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 59, Issue 28

[Ken Powers]

While I agree with Jon's point I just wanted to comment on the claim of most 
freeze - thaw cycles.

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah claims over 200 freeze-thaw cycles a 
year. It is the cause of their fantastically eroded landscape. I love hiking 
on the Colorado Plateau as much as the PCT!

http://www.nationalparktravel.com/bryce_geology.htm

Ken

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <belcherjd at juno.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 59, Issue 28


Randy

I only have one suggestion for you at this point.
Change your finish date to more like the 3rd week of September not
sometime in October.

Yes, this year lots of people were able to finish in November but
this was a very strange and abnormal year . Most years we get
snow up here in the North Cascade by Oct 1. Sometimes it melts out
in a few days and sometimes not. If it does melt out there's the
next snow right on it's tail.

The snow itself is not the problem it's the ice underneath the snow
and all the avalanche chutes you have to cross.

The Pacific NW has more freeze-thaw cycles per year that any place
in the world. If I recall correctly we have on average 67 per year.
Most of our snows in the early fall start as rain and that freezes
to the rocks as the snow starts to fall and even if there is only
6" of snow on the ground with 1000' of snow chute above you it is
not a safe place to be.

If you aim for a Sept finish and miss it not so bad but to aim for
a late finish and then miss finishing by a couple hundred miles
would be (for me) heart breaking.

Also note that the couple that finished this year on Nov 18 were
carrying an 80# pack, snowshoes, and ice axes to try and be
prepared. Would the ice ax done any good in those conditions of
fresh snow? I think we just had that discussion involving skiing.


'til later
Jon
Marysville WA